Fifty-six per cent of pre-university students would choose to develop their professional careers in Spain, a 20% increase compared to four years ago

A combination of theoretical and practical training is the key factor to finding their dream job for close to 70% of future graduates

The preference for a private university has increased by 10 points since 2016. One out of every ten students would like to study at an American institution.

Confidence continues to grow in Spain’s labour market. The percentage of Spanish pre-university students who would opt to work in the country within ten years has grown by nearly 20% over the last four years. In 2014, just one in four future graduates believed Spain was the ideal location for work; however, 56% would choose this option now. This is one of the findings of the survey “Where and How Do Spain’s Future University Students See Themselves Working in 2028?” carried out by Schiller International University (SIU), a study that analyses Spanish Baccalaureate students’ perceptions of topics such as the public and private university systems, employability and the labour market, knowledge of languages, and preparation for their university life.

Although the Spanish market is attracting more and more pre-university students, 44% see themselves working outside Spain’s borders. Specifically, respondents’ second area in terms of preference is North America: 13% of future graduates would choose countries such as the United States or Canada for their professional development. For its part, Europe also continues to attract the attention of students. Despite events such as Brexit, the United Kingdom continues to be the preferred European market for 13% of respondents. This is followed by Germany with 7%: although still among the favourite countries, this shows a significant fall with respect to 2016, when it represented the market of choice for 32% of pre-university students.

Keys to finding that dream job according to university entrants

When it comes to prioritising the key factors for finding work, 69% of Spanish pre-university students consider that the most important factor is receiving a university education that includes practical knowledge. In line with the results collected in previous editions of the survey, practical education is still seen as the differential element in the search for the dream job for future graduates.

In relation to other aspects highly valued for finding the dream job, internationalisation has taken on importance for the students surveyed: for 45% it is essential to have a good command of languages, with English as a minimum, as well as an open mind towards working both in Spain and internationally (40%). Very few respondents considered that it was important to have good contacts when it comes to getting dream employment (22%).

Preference for a private university increases by 10%

According to the SIU survey, 70% of the high school students surveyed want to study at a public university, compared to 21% that would prefer to study in a private institution. When compared to the 2016 survey, the data show an increase in the preference for private institutions; specifically, this option has seen an increase in 10 points over the last two years (then it stood at 11%). The preference for American universities has also increased slightly: almost one in ten students would opt for this educational model.

For its part, the preference for public university has fallen by 12 points with respect to 2016, and is now placed at a similar level to that collected by the 2014 SIU survey, which placed this option as a favourite for 68% of pre-university students.

From a geographical point of view, the majority of respondents would opt for a university located in Spain: 65% of pre-university students would opt to study within our borders. In the case of those who choose an American university, however, the preference is for going abroad.

A focus on practical topics, the attention of teachers and facilities are among the highest rated aspects of private universities

The trend in the preference for private higher education may have its origin in the better evaluation of some of its attributes when compared to public universities. Specifically, 84% of respondents name facilities as a key factor, as well as the fact that private universities tend to focus on practical knowledge and work with smaller groups of students.

More than 70% also think that private institutions offer more customised courses and that teachers are more engaged and provide more attention. Similarly, more than half of the respondents highlighted the fact that these universities offer more support in the search for employment and have larger job centres, whereas in the case of public institutions, fewer than 40 % of respondents perceive this to be the case.

Travelingua is a Spanish organization that works with American companies in order to provide students with Internship programs and employment opportunities in the USA. The company works to organize these internships and make them accessible for students from all over the world. These internships encompass a wide range of positions, such as working at camps, to working in amusement parks, or even working alongside top level executives of certain businesses. Most internships take place during the summer months, with some being year round.

Travelingua aims to ease the process by taking care of the visa that is needed for foreigners in order to work in the USA, along with providing students with health insurance, a 24/7 help system, and many other services. Students or recent graduates now have an easy, helpful way to find internships and work programs within the United States that can help them to build their future career plans.

During the SIU Talk – Employment and Internships in the USA, Lucía Viudes from Travelingua was able to convey the company’s main goal, and it is a strong one. Internships are a helpful tool before entering today’s competitive job market. Having practical, hands-on experience will separate tentative job candidates, making students appear much more attractive to potential employers. The fact that Travelingua takes care of the entire visa process is also an important one, as it is the hardest part of being able to work in the United States for non-nationals.Students are also granted a grace period after their internship in order to travel around the United States.

Students, both American and non-American, should undoubtedly take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, as they can have the best summer of their life while working and preparing for their future.

The students at Schiller’s Madrid Campus had the chance to attend a workshop on Protocol and Professional Self-Image prepared by our Career Services Department and led by the Adecco company, the largest staffing firm in the world and a Fortune 500 company. The speaker, Isaya Chacon, is an Independent Consultant for Development and Training.

The workshop on Protocol and Self Image aimed at teaching us the importance of dressing and acting in an appropriate way in the professional world. We learned the difference that the length of a skirt or the buttoning of a jacket can make and how what we wear should be consistent to what we are trying to transmit. To prove this point, we were divided in teams and challenged to create the best and the worst professional look we could, so we would see for ourselves the way we would react to each of them.

However, we didn’t focus only on clothes. The workshop also addressed the attention we should give to our body language: our posture, the way we talk, the way we look, etc. Our image is what ultimately represents us, it is our cover letter and it gives more information about us that anything we might say.

We are our own brand and if we want to sell it, we need to show how confident, effective and great that brand is.

3 ants is an ingenius company that focuses on protecting intellectual property content. They have made it their goal to protect the identity and strengthen the image of its clients through brand and content protection. They use Ad-Hoc Specialized measures to locate and delete piracy and any unauthorized uses of a brand.

3 Ants CEO, Javier Capilla, had the opportunity to meet with some of our SIU students. Impressed by the international education given at the University, this is what he had to say:

“We have discovered brilliant and highly capable students at Schiller International University. They are professionals who are prepared for the global marketplace and want to share their knowledge and experience. They are adaptable and open to new business models and have a great desire to learn and continue to grow.”

With this company we expand the Schiller Madrid Internship program, giving our students the possibility to join this innovative company as they expand in both the local and global market.

Already got your degree? Then join our Alumni Network. Through our Schiller Alumni Network, we welcome the opportunity to connect, share, and hear from our thousands of alumni, many of whom are leading and driving success for a wide variety of companies around the world.

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